Shelve latest higher-ed plan

October 30, 2012

Not only is Florida's latest plan for higher education short-sighted and discriminatory, it is also financially backward.

It should come as no surprise that a state task force, created by Gov. Rick Scott to study the university system, is suggesting we place a priority on students interested in pursuing degrees in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.

But it's shocking to hear the group's proposal — that we lower tuition for in-demand degrees. Just last year, University of Florida President Bernard Machen suggested the opposite. In the face of a $300 million cut to the university system, Machen asked lawmakers for the flexibility to increase tuition for high-demand degrees that lead to high-wage jobs.

Instead, the task force recommends the opposite. Worse, it is suggesting that Florida instead raise tuition for students interested in political science, psychology, anthropology, performing arts and other humanities.

Forget the law of supply and demand. The task force's proposal is funky new-aged math, Florida-style.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised, given that the governor last year said the state didn't need any more anthropology majors.

"Do you want to use your tax money to educate more people who can't get jobs in anthropology?" Scott famously asked. "I don't."

Sorry, governor, but the world — and in particular, Florida — is diverse.

Yes, there is a growing need for scientists, engineers, computer programmers and various high-tech folks. But the high-tech sector is not the lone silver bullet that will fix our economy. The governor's Department of Economic Opportunity says 10 percent of Florida's job market relies on people with STEM-related degrees. So let's not harm the other 90 percent of the workforce.

And let's not forget that the average tuition at a four-year state university is now $8,655 and increasing at a clip of 15 percent a year at some. These skyrocketing costs are hitting struggling Floridians hard.

Now a shortsighted task force suggests we charge even more to those who don't fit the state's high-tech ambitions.

The task force seems to have forgotten that many students spend their first year or two of college exploring possible career tracks. Or else it just doesn't care.

"You better really want to [study the field you choose]," said Dale Brill, task force chairman, "because you may have to pay more."

Incredible.

We always thought the idea of a college education was to expose students to a wide variety of ideas and disciplines. Shoe-horning as many as possible in STEM majors — and making it more expensive for everyone else — seems to go against everything a college or university should be about.

The world needs engineers and scientists and computer programmers, no question. But it also needs artists, musicians and historians. Students who want to contribute to our quality of life shouldn't be financially punished.

The preliminary report of Gov. Scott's higher-ed task force should be put on a shelf, to collect dust.